About

What makes Golden Hills schools incredible?

Golden Hills is an innovative and award winning school division providing students with exceptional learning opportunities, as well as, many varied sports, arts and cultural activities.  The outstanding Alberta education curriculum that Golden Hills offers is ranked among the highest in the world.  Students from around the world unite with local Canadian students to engage in high level academic study and a variety of other opportunities in the areas of career and technology studies, the arts and sports.  Our students represent a diversity of cultures and by working together they prepare to build a successful future as global thinkers and leaders.

Golden Hills provides significant supports to our international students including; an Academic Advisor who works extensively with our international students, school counselors at each program location, as well as inhouse Accommodations Coordinators who connect and check in on our students throughout the year to ensure an easy transition to their new environment, and to support them throughout their stay with us.

Golden Hills also offers a number of activities/trips in addition to those offered through the schools.  These are an important part of our program as students are offered the opportunity to visit places of interest and cultural events.  These contribute to a well rounded program where our international students get to experience Canadian hospitality, culture and some of the most beautiful sights in the world! Some examples of these trips/activities are; Banff National Park, Heritage Park, Skiing, West Edmonton Mall, the Calgary Zoo, Spruce Meadows just to name a few.  

Located east of the city of Calgary, Golden Hills offers first-rate placements at schools in the three main centers;  Strathmore, Three Hills and Drumheller.  It is one of two public school divisions to offer both dormitory and homestay accommodations as an option.  

 

 

PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment)

Canadian Education ranks among the best in the world

PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) is a collaborative effort among member countries of the OECD (the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development). It is designed to provide international indicators of the skills and knowledge of 15-year-old students and shed light on a range of factors that contribute to successful students, schools, education systems, and learning environments.

Information gathered through PISA enables a thorough comparative analysis of the performance of students near the end of their compulsory education. It also permits exploration of the ways that achievement varies across different social and economic groups, and the factors that influence achievement within and among countries. Students are tested on their skills and knowledge in three core learning areas: mathematics, reading, and science.

In 2018, about 600,000 students in 79 countries completed the organization for Economic Cooperation and Development test. Among the provinces, Alberta students scored above the Canadian average.

According to the 2018 PISA international ranking shows Alberta is still top of the class in reading and Science. Regarding Alberta's 2018 PISA standings Alberta Minister of Education Adriana LaGrange stated: "...2018 PISA results for 15-year-old students reaffirms that Alberta continues to provide our students with a high-quality education..."

Alberta:

Science - averaged 534       3rd in the world
Reading- averaged 532       3rd in the world
Math - averaged 511           8th in the world

Canada:

  • 4th in Reading
  • 6th in Science
  • 10th in Math